Vivacious
by Minatu-chan and Mooseley
Summary: Darkness is the past, the Shepards are the present. I wonder what it feels like to love someone. Lissa/OC


**Hello there! ****I wrote this for a LawlClan challenge. The prompt was "Looking between the letters." Since I didn't have to put it in the one-shot (and I don't know how I would've), I did my best to encompass the feeling the words gave me. At the very least, the prompt inspired this. :)**

**I've played through all of Fire Emblem twice now, and Lissa is by far my favorite character. She's so cute~ I wouldn't want to marry any other character.**

_**Disclaimer- **_**I don't own Fire Emblem.**

**Onwards!**

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Vivacious

Words, as simple as _"suki desu"_ to _"ai shiteru"_. Always, they were just words. Things that would always seem far beyond my grasp. Sometimes I'd lose myself in the simple meanings that these words could quite possibly encompass, but none of it really was meant to leave the deep caverns of my mind. Because _I _am the one who does not have faith in their meaning; _I _am the one who does not believe in these words.

"Can you see?" her soft, concerned voice began. I could recognize that voice anywhere, and my heart longed to be surrounded by the gentle, comforting sound of it.

"No," I answered slowly, and I watched from my left eye as she frowned, her blonde curls whirling around her as she shook her head in disbelief. Then Lissa bent over toward my face, her dark blue eyes flashing with her usual coy spirit.

"I meant out of the eye that isn't bandaged up," she pointed out. I smirked slightly at her.

"I can," I told her finally. I couldn't help but make her life difficult at times. It was far too tempting to me. Lissa's expression lit up, her pigtails bouncing as she moved away, hopping a little with joy.

"Great!" she cheered happily. Then Chrom stepped into the tent, his armor clinking as he moved. I cringed slightly at the noise, suddenly finding myself aware of my headache.

"Oliver," Chrom said with a slightly concerned expression. It was a bit odd to see in practice, "How are you feeling?" I lifted one corner of my mouth into a sort of makeshift smile.

"I'm fine. It's not as if I was going to die or anything," I replied, shrugging slightly. Lissa flashed me an angry frown.

"From the way you jumped between me and that Plegian soldier, it looked like you were!" she snapped, her hands balled into tight fists at her sides. Chrom let out a quiet sigh.

"I'm just glad we're all okay," he said, "And thank you... for saving my sister. Ylisse owes you a great deal." I shook my head.

"What are friends for?" I shrugged with a goofy smile. Lissa's face turned light red as she let out a small noise that pointed out her frustration.

"What are friends for!?" Lissa suddenly exploded, "You two are acting like that was nothing! Don't you know how worried _I_ was!? I thought you were going to _die_! And then who was I going to play pranks on!? And who was going to keep Chrom from making stupid decisions!? Enough people have died in this _stupid_ war! We can't lose you too..." Big, fat tears were rolling down Lissa's cheeks. I was stunned, and with a quick glance to Chrom, I found that he was too. Lissa wiped at her tears, finally letting out her sobs as her words dissolved into incomprehensible whimpers. I slowly pushed myself onto my feet, reaching out to her and placing my hand lightly on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Lissa. I'm alive," I told her gently, squeezing her shoulder and giving her a light shake. Her shoulder trembled under my grasp.

"You almost weren't," she pointed out half-heartedly. I had no idea as to what I was supposed to do in that situation, so I glanced to Chrom for some sort of advice, but he looked as if he were at as much of a loss as I was. My mind quickly pieced together what had happened as far as I could remember. I had glanced to my side and saw a soldier swinging at Lissa, who was obviously defenseless at the moment. Her tome had been knocked from her hands. Then my feet were moving on their own, my steel sword swinging out of its sheath. I had no time to think or even regret the decision, and even in that moment, I didn't. I refused to let a Plegian soldier lay a hand on Lissa.

So I gave her shoulder another squeeze, attempting to give her a sort of encouragement. Lissa moved faster than I could think. She ran into my chest, sobbing into my clothes. My left hand held awkwardly in the air where Lissa was once standing, and again, I found myself looking to Chrom for some sort of answer on how to deal with his sister's actions. As always, he was of no help. He merely gave a shrug. I almost wanted to strangle him. Instead, my eyebrow twitched and I made no move to do so. I looked down at Lissa, and lightly patted her on the back.

"It's alright, Lissa," I whispered, and my voice cracked almost sounding like it no longer belonged to me. It was raw, _broken,_ "I'm alive." She slowly pulled away with a slight nod, sending a sharp glare to me and Chrom.

"It didn't happen," she said, although her eyes were obviously red and swollen. Yet both of us nodded, still a bit stunned. Lissa hated to act vulnerable, especially after Emeryn's death. Then Lissa left, a cute frown set on her face. Chrom and I exchanged a look of disbelief.

"She's really quite the handful," I joked with a shrug. Chrom immediately let out a laugh, and the uncomfortable atmosphere began to dissipate.

"You'll get used to it eventually," he replied, giving me a friendly pat on the back. I nodded, and later I found myself writing a letter for the first time, as far as I could remember, at least.

_Lissa,_

_I'm sorry that I caused you to feel so unhappy. I did not think about my actions, only about making sure you were okay. I was scared of seeing you get hurt, I guess._

_My deepest apologies, Oliver_

I set the letter in Lissa's tent when she was out, not knowing what else to do with it, and since I had no decent words of comfort before, I supposed those would suffice.

It was odd, navigating with one eye. It made me a bit nervous, and I found myself looking to the right as to assure myself that there was nothing creeping up on my blindside. I couldn't help wandering though. I enjoyed being able to think in the quiet of the night. Crickets would sing softly, and I felt like I was able to connect with my original self to some degree. The one that existed before I met The Shepards and joined them. Those were times that I could not reach no matter how much I wished to. I didn't like having gaps within my being, and yet the darkness was one I was happy to work with.

"You shouldn't be out wandering by yourself, Oliver," Fredrick said from behing me. I looked back at the tall, heavily armored knight. His blue and white plates shining even under the dim moonlight. I nodded to him slightly in recognition.

"I can't help it when I feel the urge to," I replied. Fredrick raised an eyebrow before shaking his head, his shaggy brown hair slipping into his eyes for a moment before he fixed it.

"That is unlike you," Fredrick responded.

"Perhaps," I shrugged, "But I'm sure everyone longs for the thoughtful silence that comes with a walk at some point." Fredrick smiled.

"Preoccupied by something?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," I answered with a slight shrug, and we both returned to camp. Fredrick didn't question me any further, which I was thankful for.

In my tent, I found a letter that was folded in a similar fashion as to the one I gave to Lissa. I settled onto the ground, hanging an oil lamp above me. Florid script filled the paper, and I smiled because I expected no less of a princess.

_Dear Oliver,_

_Didn't I tell you it never happened? Surely you would've done the same for Chrom or Fredrick anyway. _

_I've noticed how you wander off almost as much as you go to meetings or to advise Chrom on something. It makes it easier to set up traps for you, but it makes me wonder. It's almost as if you're acting like you don't truly belong. If so, stop it. You are one of us. You're a Shepard of Ylisse. So don't sacrifice yourself so easily for one of us, okay?_

_Lissa_

My lips curled into a slight smile. I could hear her voice as I read the letter. Lissa had strangely noticed this habit of mine more than anyone else, it seemed. All of it for the purpose of setting up little pranks, strangely enough. I blew out the oil lamp quietly and settled down to sleep. I couldn't reply because all it would mean would be for me to make an empty promise, one I knew I would have to break at some point.

.

"Stupid, _stupid_ Oliver!" Lissa yelled at the sky, kicking her feet against the ground and sending up clouds of it. It annoyed her how he spoke as if he wasn't a valuable member of the Shepards. How could he just ignore the fact that he was?

"Oh! Lissa, darling! Are you alright?" Maribelle asked, running over to Lissa. Lissa met Maribelle's concerned brown eyes, and fell into her best friend's arms with an exhausted sigh.

"Maribelle! Those two just wear me out! They're such rash idiots sometimes," Lissa declared. Maribelle embraced Lissa.

"Dearest, who is it that you speak of?" she asked gently, "I will be sure to give them a stern lesson in etiquette."

"Chrom and Oliver! Both of them acted as if dying in battle was only natural!" Lissa complained, and Maribelle could only let out a withering sigh.

"I am sure that is just how they bear their grief," Maribelle told Lissa gently. Lissa gave Maribelle an exasperated look.

"Not you too! Don't you understand how awful that is?" Lissa cried, her dark blue eyes watering up again. Maribelle looked at Lissa with sympathy.

"Oh, Lissa..." Maribelle began, "It is not at all how I feel. They are men, and their interpretation of battle is of a stark opposite of our own. We cannot control how Oliver, or even Chrom, looks at it. It is simply up to us ladies to worry." Lissa gave Maribelle a pained look.

"I just don't want Oliver to get himself killed while protecting me..." Lissa muttered, wiping at her tears. Maribelle hugged Lissa again, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"Oh Lissa, dear..." Maribelle cooed. Lissa hugged Maribelle tightly. Then Maribelle stiffened, "Do not tell me you have swayed in even the slightest toward that tramp, Oliver!" She pulled Lissa even closer to her bosom, and Lissa simply slumped ever so slightly in Maribelle's embrace.

"I said nothing of the sort..." Lissa mumbled into Maribelle's fluffy, blonde hair. Maribelle rubbed Lissa's back gently.

"That is good to hear. I could not possibly bear the thought of him making you cry any more than he already has," Maribelle replied. Lissa nodded slightly, comforted by Maribelle's ever constant concern for her.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Maribelle," Lissa said in a soft voice. Maribelle merely smiled.

"I try my best," she replied.

.

Lissa was removing the bandages that were wrapped over my right eye. She moved slowly, her touch gentle. Her fingers were even trembling. I had both of my eyes closed, but when her fingertips would brush against my skin, I could feel the nervousness in their movement. It was the first time that the bandages were being changed, and Lissa didn't want me to clean the wound myself. She figured I'd ruin all of the healing process. Cool air touched my itching wound.

Lissa pulled away, grabbing the towel she would use to clean the cut. I could hear the water dropping into the bucket as she wrung out the cloth. Then a warm, wet towel was pressed to my skin, lightly wiping at the mouth of the cut. A sharp, stinging sensation hit me. My eyebrows twitched, and I immediately pulled away.

"Oliver," Lissa warned in a soft voice. I waited, the hem of her skirt just brushing against my knees. Again, she touched the towel to my irritated cut. I tightened my grip on the bottom of the wooden stool I was sitting on, barely keeping myself from pulling away. Lissa slowly dabbed and wiped along the cut, moving down my forehead and toward my closed eye. It seemed like she was afraid of hurting me, although the pain was inevitable. Lissa took in a slow, careful breath.

"Did you think about what I wrote at all?" she began in a soft voice. I could tell she'd been thinking about what she was going to say for a long time, "I still catch you wandering off sometimes." Her voice was so quiet that I had to listen closely at some points. It was almost as if she didn't want to break the impenetrable silence that hung around us. I opened my eyes to gaze back at her.

"What do you even do while you're out there?" she asked. My right eyelid stung, and I quickly closed it again, furrowing my eyebrows a bit in response to the minute pain.

"I think," I answered in an almost nonchalant tone. Lissa looked at me in confusion.

"About what?" she asked, starting to lean forward but stopping when she realized just how close we were. My mind raced as I became aware of it myself. Lissa was so close that I could easily bring her to me and close the distance, and _I wanted to._ Gods, I wanted to.

"Lissa..." I breathed, and her breath hitched. Her dark eyes were tumultuous as they gazed back into mine. I couldn't – I didn't want to – hold back any longer. I reached up, my fingers pulling her down to me. She stumbled forward, slipping between my legs, and I captured her lips with my own. When I pulled away slightly, she gasped for air.

"Lissa! _Oliver!_" a shocked voice cried out. Lissa immediately jumped away from me and out of my reach. She turned to Chrom with bright red cheeks. I felt my own face begin to heat up.

"Seriously! I didn't need to see that!" Chrom complained, an arm thrust in front of his eyes. His voice broke when he spoke, making his embarrassment obvious to me and Lissa. I barely caught that he'd turned red himself.

"Then announce yourself before you just walk in!" Lissa yelled, before rushing out of the tent and attempting to hide her own embarrassment. She could barely face me. I sighed sadly, the mood had been ruined.

"She's right, you know," I told Chrom, meeting his eyes with my one. Chrom gave me a look of frustration.

"Not you too..." he sighed, and I smirked.

"It's quite the bad habit of yours."

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**I'm rather pleased with how this turned out. And I'd love to hear your opinions, so please review! **

**~Minatu-chan**


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